Invite a Co-Parent to Kroni Without Creating a New Family
By Erik Nilsen · Kroni6 min read
The second adult shouldn't create a new family. The owner of the family you already have makes an invitation and shares it. The invited adult opens it on their own device and signs in with their own account. After accepting, they check that the family name shown is the right one. That confirms both adults are in the same family, with the same children, tasks and balances.
A common mistake is to download the app and tap through setup as if you were new. That can easily leave you with two separate families that aren't connected. The rest of this article shows the order of steps that avoids that.
Three steps from invitation to shared family
1. The owner creates the invitation
The adult who owns the household in Kroni creates and manages invitations for other adults. You create the invitation in the household section of the app. After that, the owner decides how to share it, for example in a text message to the other adult.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Don't assume the app sends an email for you. Plan on sharing the invitation yourself, unless the app clearly says it has been sent.
- Send it to one specific person. It helps to say who it's for: "This one is for you, Tom."
- If you no longer need the invitation, or it went to the wrong person, the owner can revoke it.
2. The recipient opens it on their own device
The invited adult opens the invitation on their own phone or tablet and signs in with their own account. Don't share passwords, and the adult should not use a child's connection code.
Once you've accepted, check the family name shown. Is it the name you use at home? Then it's the right family. If it shows something else, stop and contact the person who sent the invitation.
If the invitation is opened on a device where a child is signed in, the app shows a warning. This often happens on a shared family tablet. Take the warning seriously and switch to the adult's own device instead.
3. Read any warnings before you accept
If the adult is already connected to another family in the app, a warning may appear. Read it carefully. Don't assume anything will be merged or moved over safely on its own. Families are not merged automatically, and ownership does not move with the invitation. If you're unsure, stop and talk to the person who sent the invitation before you continue.
Side-by-side checklist
| Sender (owner) | Recipient (invited adult) |
|---|---|
| Create the invitation in the household section | Wait for an invitation from the owner, and don't create a new family |
| Share it yourself with the right person | Open it on your own device, not the child's |
| Say what the family is called in the app | Sign in with your own account |
| Check that it gets used | Read any warnings before accepting |
| Revoke invitations that aren't used | Confirm the family name matches once you're in |
| Agree on who does what day to day | Let the owner know when you're in |
A child code and an adult invitation are two different things
It's easy to mix these up, because both are about "connecting someone to the family."
| Child code (connection) | Adult invitation | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | The child | Another adult |
| Which device | Often a shared family device or the child's device | The adult's own device |
| Sign-in | The child doesn't need their own email | The adult uses their own account |
| Who creates it | An adult in the family | The household owner |
| Typical mistake | Using it to sign in an adult | Opening it where a child is signed in |
In short: the child code connects a child to the family. The invitation gives a new adult access to that same family.
Owner controls and everyday running
Inviting adults and revoking invitations is up to the owner. That keeps things tidy, because one person has an overview of who has been invited.
The daily work with tasks, approvals, savings goals and rewards is different. That's ordinary family life, and it's something the adults should agree on together. Who approves that the trash went out on Mondays? Who keeps an eye on the savings goal? If your kids live in two homes, you can find ideas in Co-Parenting Chores: One Shared List for Two Homes.
Remember that the balance in the app is virtual. If your child is getting real money, one of you pays in cash, by bank transfer or with a mobile payment app outside Kroni. Joining the family does not mean the new adult pays anything automatically.
Example: the Berg family (fictional)
Ingrid set up the family "Bergs at Home" and added Sara (10) and Jonas (7). Sara uses the shared tablet in the kitchen. Now Tom, the other parent, is joining.
- Ingrid creates an invitation in the household section and sends it to Tom in a message: "This one is for you. The family is called Bergs at Home."
- Tom first taps the link on the kitchen tablet. Sara is signed in there, and the app shows a warning. He cancels.
- He opens the link on his own phone and signs in with his own account.
- He accepts. The family name "Bergs at Home" then appears, matching Ingrid's message.
- They agree that Tom approves tasks when the kids are with him, and Ingrid does the rest of the time. They still pay the weekly allowance of $5 (a made-up example) through a mobile payment app outside Kroni.
Ingrid had also sent an invitation to a grandparent that was never used. She revokes it.
Copyable worksheet
Fill this in before you start:
- Family name in the app: ________
- Owner sending the invitation: ________
- Adult being invited: ________
- The adult's own device: ________
- How the invitation is shared (text, email, etc.): ________
- Family name checked after accepting (yes/no): ________
- Warnings that came up, and what you did: ________
- Who approves tasks, and when: ________
- Who pays real money, and how: ________
- Unused invitations revoked (yes/no): ________
If you'd also like to review which tasks suit your children, What should kids be able to do at home? A complete list by age is a useful starting point. Adjust it to each child.
Once both adults are in the same family in Kroni, you see the same tasks, balances and savings goals. That makes it easier to split the daily work between you without keeping two sets of records.
Frequently asked questions
- Can the other parent just create a family and connect to ours later?
- No. That can easily create a separate family that isn't connected to yours. Wait for an invitation from the owner of your existing family, and check the family name once you've accepted.
- Can an adult sign in with the child's code?
- No. The child code is for connecting a child to the family. An adult should use the owner's invitation and sign in with their own account on their own device.
- What should I do if I get a warning that I'm already in another family?
- Read the warning carefully before you accept. Families are not merged automatically. If you're unsure, stop and talk to the person who sent the invitation before you continue.
